This invention is directed toward a method of producing cellulose encased preformed, peeled and pack sausages, and more particularly a method of producing food safe and/or peeled and pack encased sausages.
Presently, during production, preformed sausages are provided with a cellulose, collagen, alginate (or a combination) casing that is (at least partially) removed before the sausages are packed. The casing provides, during production, a temporary peelable cover that controls the shape of the dough.
In addition, preformed sausages may be provided during the production process with a cellulose-casing that is (at least partly) removed before the sausages are packed. The casing to be removed enables the production of sausages with controlled shape from dough that is not to be shaped as desired without the temporary peelable cover.
After production of the covered sausage the sausages are initially heated such that the sausages are fully cooked. The sausages are then actively cooled down to temperatures below 4° C. for thermo shocking the sausage such that the casing loosens. Shocking occurs by exposing the encased sausages to an environment having a different temperature such as for example using cold water or cold air. Steam may also be used to shock the sausage. Once shocked the encased sausages may be introduced to a peeler where the casing is removed from the sausages. The peeled sausages may afterwards be auto loaded using a loader into a packaging machine and packed to enable transport, storage and/or preservation of the sausage. The package may vary, and well known types of packages are foil, jars, tins, packs and so on.
The preformed peeled and packed sausages are exposed to the environment after heating (to effect the sausage hardening) and peeling but before packaging. Such sausages are potentially exposed to pathogen contaminants such as Listeria or Salmonella. When consumed, pathogen infected food products can cause serious illness or even death. Present production methods attempt to minimize this risk by post packaging treatments such as high pressure pasteurization, post heat pasteurization and irradiation. While these treatments produce a food-safe product, they also degrade the quality of the product, are complex to use and/or are costly.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a method that produces safe preformed peeled and packed sausages, while maintaining a high quality product reducing production costs, and being easy to perform.
An objective of the present invention is to provide an efficient method of producing safe preformed peeled and packed sausages that maintains high product quality.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an effective method of producing preformed peeled and packed sausages that reduces production costs and energy consumption.
A still further objective of this invention is to provide a method of producing preformed peeled and packed sausages where the method is easy to perform.
In an additional embodiment a method for producing preformed peeled packed sausages, comprising the steps of subsequently: A) heating an encased sausage; B) peeling a casing from the sausage at a sausage surface temperature of at least 20° C.; and C) packing the peeled sausage. The heating of the encased sausage during step A) results in the at least partial hardening of the sausage dough (e.g. meat, fish and/or organic dough) due to e.g. the at least partial coagulation of proteins enhancing the rigidity of the sausage to withstand any further production process steps. The sausage is peeled when the sausage minimum surface temperature during peeling is at or above 20° C., even to or at least 30° C., at least 40° C. or at least 50° C. Alternatively, other minimum surface temperatures for the sausages during peeling may be applied; e.g. minimum of 25° C., 35° C., 45° C. or 55° C.
The advantage of keeping the sausage temperature at a higher level during the “hot peeling” is that less energy is required for cooling down the sausage between the heating during step A) and the peeling during step B). The less cooling also requires less cooling time (thus limiting the total production process time of preformed peeled packed sausages) and less cooling (equipment) capacity. Shortening processing time and limiting the (cooling) capacity of the equipment required both contribute in enhancing the efficiency of the production of preformed peeled packed sausages. The process is faster, simpler, easier to perform, energy saving and less costly particularly as compared to irradiation and high pressure processing. The method also increases capacity, improves yield, eliminates the need for anti-microbial additives, improves shelf life, eliminates microbial contamination and is compliant with HACCP standards.
These and other objectives will be apparent to one skilled in the art based upon the following disclosure.